Seed-dropping mechanism.



J. STREITZ.

SEED DROPPING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAB. 4, 1910.

Patented Sept. 13,1910.

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J. STREITZ.

SEED DROPPING MEGHANISM. APPLICATION FILED vMAR. 4, 1910.

Patented Sept. 13, 1910.

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WITNESSES:

JACOB s'rnnrrz, or MARINE CITY, MICHIGAN.

SEED-DROPPING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.`

Patented Sept. 13, 19M).

Application illedmarch 4, 1910." Serial No. 547,316.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JACOB S'rnnirz, residing at Mar'ae City, in thecounty of St. Clair and State of Michi an, have invented a new andImproved See -Dropping Mechanism, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to improvements in seeders and planters and morespecifically to means for dropping the seed-and it has for its object toprovide a dropping mechanism of a simple 'and economical character, thatcan be readily applied to the ordinary types of planters and drills, andin which t-he seed gatherin and dropping action is positive and uni orm.

My invention in its generic nature, comprehends an improved arrangementof a single drive shaft for actuating all the dropper wheels or cups,and the peculiar manner in which the dropper or cup wheels are housed.

In its more specific nature, my invention embodies an improvedconstruction of dropping wheel or cup, a casing therefor and a resilientreceiver for each seed pocket, that serves-to' positively discharge theseed from the cup at predetermined times, and in its still moresubordinate features, my invention consists in certain details ofconstruc- -tion and novel arrangement of parts, all of which will behereinafter fully explained, specically pointed out in the appendedclaims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1,is a rear elevation of a planter, a portion of the seed box and severalof the dropper devices being shown in section to the better illustratethe correlation of the parts. Fig. 2, is a vertical section on t-heli-ne 2-2 of Fig. l of one of the feed wheels or cups and the hoppercasing therefor, the same being shown combined with a disk drill. Fig.3, is a perspective view of the hopper casing for one of the seed drop:per wheels or cups, the latter andthe casing cap being shown as removedfromv the casing. Figs. 4 and 5 are central vertical sections on theline'4-4 of Fig. 1 of one of the seed dropper devices, and illustratethe manner in which the seed is conveyed from the hopper to thedischarge. Fig. 6, is a similar view and illustrates the manner in whichthe dropperwheel cups are arranged to regulate the number of seedreceiving cavities therein. Fig. 7, is a detail view' of a slightlymodified form of my invention hereinafter explained.

In the practicalapplication of my invention, I arrange a separate anddistinct housing or casing for each dropping device, but l mount all ofthe said deviceson a single shaft so that they work in unison.

By now referring to Fig. 1, it will be noticed that operating shaft 1 islocated underthe seed box, extends the full length thereof and isjournaled in end brackets 2 2 mounted on side beams 3-3 of the planterframe that includes the usual side wheels 4 4 and the axle 5. Power istransmitted from shaft `5 through'the large gear 6 mounted thereon tothe small gear 7 on the seed dropper shaft 1.

Since each of the seed dropping devices are of like construction, a fulldescription of one set of such devices is deemed suiiicient.

Referring non7 more particularly to Figs. 2 and 3 it will be seen thedropping means comprises a hollow or cup shaped wheel 8, one end ofwhich h-as an inwardly extending hub 80 keyed on the shaft l to turntherewith, and to slide endwise thereon for the convenient assemblage ofparts. Member 8 when set up for use, is located with-y in a casing 9,one end 90 of which is integralwith the sides 91 and the other end is acap member 92 that is made fast by hooks and pins or otherwise, so itcan be easily removed when it is desired to gain access to the droppingwheel. l Casing 9, at the upper end, terminates in |a widened mouth orhopper 93 flanged to be readily attached to the under side 'of theseedbox 10, see Fig. 1. Opposite the hopper the casing has a dis`charging nozzle 94 that connects withV the tube or boot portion of thedrill devices, of

any approved type, for example, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.-

In practice the dropping wheel moves in the direction indicated byarrows .fr and the said wheel has one or more radially disposedapertures that form the seed pockets 82 that collect the seed as theypass under the hopper portion of the casing, see Fig. 6. `To provide fora positive discharge of the seed when it comesA in line with thedischarging nozzle 94, plungers 13 are mounted'in the said pocketapertures 82 and the said plungers are secured on springs 83, preferablyarranged as shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 Oras shown in the modifiedarrangement in Fig.

7. The plungers 13 when at their normal position, vare free of sprigtension and their outer ends are held su c1 ntly back of the peripheryof the wheel 8 to provide a shalw pocket' for the seed to lodge in asthe pockets pass 'through the-hop r feed, the said outer ends beingconcave to facilitate the lodgment of the seed thereon. By reason ofholding the plungers practically free of yspring tension when theyreceive the seed, reduces the frictional resistance on the seed as i-tis conveyed with the dro per wheel land it engages the downgoing si e ofthe casing as in Fig. 4 and to facilitate the gradual application ofspring tension to the plun ers the passageway or space between the 'owngoing side of'the casing and the corresponding face of the member 8 istapering with the greatest width at the top andthe least at the bottom.By reason of such arrangement. of the parts stated, the seed isgradually forced back into the pocket land spring tension is graduallyincreased on the plungersso that'when the seed in the vpocket comes inline with the discharge the spring pressure will positively force it outof the said dropping member 8. Another advantage in constructing thedroppingv member 8 as shown and described is that each dropping devicecan be readily ad tures can be plugged as shown in Fig. 6 to increasethe distance between the "droppings, as described.

From the foregoing, taken in connection with the drawings, the completearrangelnient and the advantages of my invention will be readilyapparent to those skilled in the art to which it appertains.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

l. An attachment for.seed planters, that comprises in combinationwiththe seed box and the drive axle, of. a planter, said box havingadischarge; of a cylindrical casing having one end closed, ahoppermouth-and an justed and one or more of the pocket aper-` integraldischarging leg, a drop ing wheel, a shaft therefor that passes axia thecylindrical casingv said dropper. wheel being endwise shiftably mountedon the shaft and to rotate therewith, the .wheel having peripheralpockets, lthe casing being so mounted with respect to the wheel that thespace between it and the downgoing side of the wheel gradually reducesfrom the infeed to the discharge and a yieldable plunger mounted in saidpockets.

2. The combination'with the' main axle, the seed box and the droppingwheel shaft journaled under the seed box and coupled with themain axle;of a series of casings cach having a circular'v cent-rally `disposed ythrough pocket, a-cap platefor the pocket, said caslar shaped casingsmounted on the drive shaft, said shaft being geared with the main shaft,the casingv having one side open,.a cover plate therefor, a droppingwheel endwi'se slidable, the wheel havlng radial apertures, a plungeroperable in each aperture, means for kee ing the plungers fromprojecting beyon the said front edge, and means for forcing the contentsof the pockets therefrom when the wheel pockets pass over thedisch-arge. 'I

JACOB STREITZ.-

Witnesses: f

J. L. CARMAN, MAUD BURR.

